


Bonds

by itsonlyapapermoon



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Curses, Light Angst, M/M, Soulmate AU, but friends make it okay, equally messed up childhood, seriously messed up family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-14 09:53:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11205615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsonlyapapermoon/pseuds/itsonlyapapermoon
Summary: There was a reason Jeonghan always kept his hair long, wore scarves and turtlenecks even in the summer, or stopped a heated breath away from letting a pretty stranger strip him bare. The cursed chain running across his neck would always draw attention envious sighs.Sure, having your soulmate’s name written in the chain would make love a lot easier. But by the time the chains reveal the name of Jeonghan’s love, one foot would be firmly planted on the grave. Jeonghan didn’t bother telling anyone what meeting his soulmate actually meant. After all, he had no plans on meeting the love of his life in the first place.





	1. Conditions

Jeonghan put _love_ up there with the fairies and goblins— myth, delusions, fictitious.

He doesn’t mean to ridicule those devotees who do believe though. People can stick around each other long enough to fuck and build a home with their partner. People can be passionate about a hobby or a dog. The concept of love hasn’t gone totally obsolete. It’s just that with his shitty luck, Jeonghan never thought it would happen to him.

Death was a very different story. Jeonghan put _death_ alongside sex and greed— ever constant and very much real.

How greedy humans are. Lying by the skin of their teeth to get what they want— money? power? a quick fuck? Always jealous of what another possesses. Never satisfied with themselves, never settled with what they have. Dragging others into their own selfish misery.

It’s not like Jeonghan has any right to complain anyway. At the end of the day, he was just another rat running the race to god-knows-where. He was a greedy human and he would _always_ pick his own life over meeting the love of it.

Who the fuck wouldn’t?

* * *

The conditions were, "find your soulmate or you lose your life". Simple.

Of course, if his family was involved, Jeonghan never expected anything simple.

It was Soonyoung, his kindergarten classmate who pointed out the chains on the swing set.

"Teacher!" He exclaimed as he pointed to the back of Jeonghan's neck, "Hannie has a snake behind his ear!"

The kids gathered as curiosity often does to people and Jeonghan could feel the back of his neck red and heavy with the eyes peering at it. Jun tried to poke it but Jeonghan slapped his hand away. His cheeks burnt with embarrassment. "Don't touch me!"

He knew he was in danger of becoming a social target and in his panic, he looked them in the eye and with a dead serious tone he said, "The snake's gonna bite your balls off."

Checking the bathroom mirrors, kinder-grade Jeonghan counted three delicate links of black chain emerging from the base of his hairline. Afer school, he ran straight home and asked his father what was going on.

He smiled as if remembering a fond memory and pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose, "Ah, yes! I remember putting that curse on you." Jeonghan waited a beat trying to keep assumptions from forming.

"Well?" He asked after it seemed no explanation was coming.

"Oh well, I caught your mother sleeping with another man when I was out on a business trip. And a week later when I found out she was pregnant, I had no way to tell if it were my child or that whore's.

"I had lost all hope of true love and I wanted that bitch to pay for it. In a fit of rage, I cursed her child which so happened to be you." He said this all with the same calm smile he would have when he welcomed his son home from school. As if he had not just confessed to ruining Jeonghan's life.

"What?" Jeoghan tried registering but nothing made sense. "But mom--" 

His father waved his hand, his pleasant smile never wavering from its plastered position. "Your mother and I forgot everything the moment you were born, kid; you were just too precious. Curses like that aren't so difficult especially when the parties involved are so willing to forget. And it seems that in our misery, I had forgotten how to take the curse off you." He laughed a warm and whole tune that always reminded Jeonghan of snowfall and a gentle Father Christmas. Now all they told of were broken Christmases and empty presents. 

"Your mother and I took our memories; I can still remember the scene playing out. But it's as if it happened to another person entirely." He has a distant and dreamy look in his eyes. Jeonghan felt the room spin; it was like his father said-- he wasn't sure if this was happening to him or to another person entirely.

A pleasant voice came from down the hall and Jeonghan's mother popped into the room. "Hello boys! I missed you both." She kissed Jeonghan's father.

"I was just telling Jeonghan about the time you screwed with our neighbor." He said cheerfully. His tone not matching his words in the slightest.

"How awful those days were. I hated you for putting a curse on our boy." She smiled and put a hand on her husband's shoulder.

Jeonghan was a very skilled liar and he knew when people were lying. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be the case.

"But-- why?" He asked.

His father chuckled, "Forgetting the pain makes remembering easier."

* * *

And in the time since he dropped out of college and ran away from home, Jeonghan has only learned that-- one, the inked chains are trailing a path from the back of his neck down his collarbone and straight to his heart and when it hits its mark, it will not look pretty.

Two, the chains at least seem to be growing at a slow pace and since the day Soonyoung pointed it out it has only reached his shoulder.

Three, he can only be freed of the curse when he falls in love with his soulmate who's name so conveniently happens to form when the chain ends at his heart.

He's tried everything. His last attempt to escape the chains only resulted in an empty wallet and tender sores the next day, the chains clearly imprinted on his skin as if it had always been there. 

Jeonghan went about his every day wondering if there was any point in waking up when he was going to die all the same. And since his love could be anywhere in the world-- honestly, what were the chances of him randomly bumping into them on the streets? 


	2. The reason to keep breathing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's see where this goes!

"Okay if you're running away, I wanna come too!" Soonyoung declared.  
  
Seokmin looked up from his bowl of ramyeun and said, "When people say 'run away' they usually mean alone."  
  
"Do they?" Jun asked as he slurped his noodles earning him disgusted looks from the old lady at the next table.  
  
"Well, what about young kids who run away from their families?" Soonyoung argued.  
  
"I think you call that eloping."  
  
"God, I love you guys but I don't want to marry any of you." Seokmin apologized.  
  
"No one is getting married! I'm just gonna leave town," Jeonghan said. He paused and thought before adding, "Forever."  
  
The three boys collectively let out an unconvinced, "Oh scary."  
  
Jeonghan laughed but the knot in his chest wouldn't loosen. It felt tight and restricted him to the thought that this might be the last meal he'd have with these idiots.  
  
He was running away tonight. He had to.  
  
Jeonghan's mother died a week ago. Today was the funeral and by this time tomorrow he'd be working for his mother's murderer. Sunken eyes and hallow voices would be his only companion in the early ours of the morning followed by late nights staring blankly at the ceiling.  
  
Since he watched his father fall to his knees as the casket lowered to the ground, Jeonghan couldn't stop feeling like he was slowly suffocating into his own coffin.  
  
Jun, Seokmin, and Soonyoung came to offer their condolences. They decided to stop by the ramen place after the funeral rites. In the midst of the chaos, Jeonghan couldn't find the proper words to thank them for everything they've done for him. But when they finally had a quiet moment alone, he found that he didn't have to say anything.

If they weren't around, Jeonghan wouldn't have known what to do.  
  
Soonyoung never stopped asking about the snakes behind his neck. Jun always made sure it was covered whenever they went out together. Even Seokmin transferred to their school in third grade but didn't bat an eyelash when Jeonghan told him about the chains.  
  
It didn't embarrass them to buy necklaces or scarves for Jeonghan. They warned him whenever the back of his neck was showing. Diverted their teacher's attention to avoid getting into trouble, as tattoos weren't on the approved body markings section in their student handbook.  
  
They knew about Jeonghan's pain and how shitty his family turned since the day he found out. They tried and searched for anything that could lift the curse.  
  
They knew of how often these new impressions were appearing. And how during those days, Jeonghan's mood was the worst. Even he knew he acted like a dick but they stuck by him anyway.  
  
Jeonghan would have jumped off a bridge long ago if it weren't for them. He didn't want to leave but he can't keep holding them down forever. He had to find a way to take this stupid curse down on his own.  
  
Jeonghan chuckled softly and said underneath his breath, "Yeah, it's pretty scary."

* * *

"Hey,"  
  
The whisper made Jeonghan jump and drop his bag on his foot. He hissed from the pain and dropped down to rub the sting away. A chill of fear washed over Jeonghan but he knew he was being irrational; his father almost never came home this early.  
  
A light shone on Jeonghan's eyes blinding his vision. He put a hand to block the light and groaned.  
  
"Jun," The boy grinned unashamed.

He hissed as quietly as possible. "It's midnight! What are you doing?"

Jun switched his flashlight off and the fire escape grew dark under the moonlight. "I'm making sure my neighbor doesn't get lost running away from his family."  
  
Jeonghan noticed his worn backpack slung over his shoulder and a cheeky grin plastered on Jun's face. He sighed, "Is it too late to change your mind?"  
  
Jun has lived beside Jeonghan for the longest time and had probably heard all their family squabbles and fights. And when Jeonghan came to school the next day with a bruise under his eye, Jun wouldn't make a fuss. He'd only answer those who asked, "Yeah, we were playing around in the swingsets yesterday and Jeonghan tripped on his feet."  
  
Jeonghan could never string enough words to express how grateful he was of Jun in those moments. Jun would only look at him and spurt out a laugh. They were moments a lot like now.

Jun had just graduated college. If Jeonghan hadn't dropped out, he and Jun might've gone job hunting together or drinking to celebrate or anything a normal twenty-something year old does.

Whether or not he was right, Jeonghan knew he was taking this kind of life away from Jun.

Jeonghan turned his cheek so Jun wouldn't see the awkward mixture of terror and relief on his face. Jun must've seen something because he laughed like all those times before and said, "Just leave it to me, Hannie."

* * *

Jun was astounded but when he thought again it wasn't very surprising; it was just as expected that Jeonghan had no real plan when he decided to run away.  
  
So he bought them both one-way tickets to a small town he visited before. It was a little over two days by train but Jeonghan didn't seem to mind. In fact, he looked giddy having someone do all the booking and navigating that he crashed into their cabin and went right to sleep the moment they boarded.  
  
Jun didn't mind this as much as he thought he would. He was glad to see Jeonghan finally relaxed even if it was only from a temporary nap. For the past few weeks, it was as if Jeonghan were bracing himself for this and barricading whatever built up pain came his way.  
  
He couldn't help but think of when Jeonghan told them about the way his father pushed his mother down the staircase in a fit of rage. Jun was in his apartment but he didn't know what had transpired before the loud thump and a wild scream that sounded to Jun like glass shattering.  
  
All Jun saw the moment he threw the door open was the look of terror in Jeonghan's eyes and his father crumpled to the ground. There was a body of a woman three floors down. Her eyes stared up at them, as she waited for them to clean the mess up.  
  
Jeonghan hadn't slept at all that night. He sat still on the matress beside Jun's bed. He didn't cry or bury his eyes in his arms. But in the dark, he couldn't tell what the boy was thinking. Jeonghan didn't ask the next morning but it seemed obvious that Jun didn't sleep either.

* * *

They arrived just as the sun was reaching its summit. There was a spring in Jeonghan's step and a lightness in his smile that was a rarity back in the city. He shouldered his backpack and urged Jun to hurry up.  
  
He took in his companion's appearance-- dark circles underneath his eyes, disheveled hair, a trail of dried drool, and an irritated look. Jeonghan couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"Jun, you look awful!"  
  
He glared at the older boy and said, "Fuck you."  
  
A loud voice echoed in the near empty train station, "Hey! Idiot Jeonghan!"  
  
Jeonghan whipped towards the voice, he yelled, "Did he just call me an idiot? Who just called me an idiot?"  
  
He caught sight of the obvious source of the noise and groaned. Seokmin and Soonyoung stood side-by-side identical grins plastered wide on their faces.  
  
Soonyoung wrapped an arm around Jeonghan's neck and wrestled him into a hug. "HANNIE! We were so worried about you running away! Don't ever leave me again." And he buried his face in the older boy's neck.  
  
"How did you follow us?" Jeonghan asked, trying to break free of Soonyoung's grip. He couldn't decide whether to be happy or annoyed that they decided to follow him.  
  
"Jun told us." Seokmin said and gave Jun a high-five.  
  
"Jun--" Jeonghan started.  
  
But the boy swiftly cut him off, "Well, let's get some breakfast! I am starving."  
  
"Yeah the food on the train wasn't very good, was it?" Seokmin commented.  
  
"You took the same train?" Jeonghan said incredulously.  
  
"We were in the coach beside yours."  
  
Jeonghan groaned and shrugged Soonyoung off.

* * *

The town was a small fishing village nestled on the foot of a mountain. The climate was warm and the shops along the main street smelled of the sea. The four runaways decided to eat in a cafe by the beach.

Watching the trio eat reminded Jeonghan of a similar scene barely three days ago. That night was chilly and the ramen place was cramped and noisy. Jeonghan decided to leave the city.

He wanted to hate his father for chaining him down and his mother for dying but found that he couldn't. Not when he saw his friends eating together like this.

Underneath the blazing sun with only an umbrella over head, the people along the boardwalk stared at Jeoghan who ate his shaved ice with his polkadotted scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. Back in the city where his classmates and neighbors gossiped about his family, he might have felt ashamed to be walking around so casually.  
  
But he was miles away from his past and stealing fries off of Soonyoung's plate-- there was a reason to breathe after all.  
  
Just then a loud group walked by. One particularly tall boy was clinging on his friend and trying to get a grip on the other's ice cream.  
  
"Just one scoop. Please, coups!" He whined.  
  
"I told you not to call me that." The boy sounded annoyed but his lopsided grin gave him away.  
  
Soonyoung looked up from his burger and mumbled, "Those kids are so damn loud."  
  
Jun laughed, "I'm pretty sure you're as loud as those kids."

"You mean  _we_."

"Come on, Seungcheol. One bite won't starve you." Another said, trying to placate the boys.  
  
"What kind of name is 'coops' anyway?" Seokmin asked through his pizza-stuffed mouth. "Is he a chicken lover or what?"  
  
"If you ignore them, maybe they'll go away." Jeonghan had his back facing the group and was too hot to bother turning to glance at them. He tugged at his scarf and nicked another fry off of Soonyoung's plate instead. The younger boy protested but only pulled his plate further away from Jeonghan's reach.  
  
"We're having lunch anyway." The same boy from the other group said, pointing towards the café as he entered. He called out to the waiter, "Dino! Table for five, please!"  
  
The strangers wrestled through the tiny café door. Their words jumbled and amplified in the cafés tiny space.  
  
"A cream soda for me!"  
  
"Get my coffee out first."  
  
"Jihoon no fair! Wait your turn."  
  
The floor shook with their heavy footsteps and the air grew warmer with the group coming in. At that moment, Jeonghan felt an elbow collide with his ear. It wasn't rough. It didn't hurt. Jeonghan's first thought was to ignore them if they decided to apologize.

Next thing he knew, the back of his neck was burning and his head was throbbing as if his skull was about to crack open.  
  
"Jeonghan?" Seokmin noticed first.  
  
"Hey!" Soonyoung stood up abruptly, "You idiots didn't apologize to my friend!"  
  
The tall boy said in a panic, "I'm so sorry! I didn't see who hit him."  
  
"Soonyoung," Jeonghan started, trying to call his attention with his short breath. He felt a hand on him trying to feel his temperature. "Jun--" Jeonghan began.  
  
_Tell the idiot to sit back down_. He wanted to scream.  
  
Soonyoung was shouting, with Seokmin trying to pull him to his chair. A boy from the other group had his hands in a fist with a friend of his holding his arms back.  
  
The room was growing louder and the air was getting hotter. There was a buzzing somewhere Jeonghan couldn't be bothetered to identify. All he wanted to do was strip and fall into the cool ocean.

The chain was scorching-- carving heat into his skin like hot iron branding leather. Jeonghan wondered if he had missed something and the chains had already reached his heart.  
  
"Oy! Are you alright?" A deep voice yelled above the buzzing.  
  
He didn't even get to learn the name of his soulmate.  
  
"Breathe!" Another voice said, "Just hold on."  
  
" _Breathe_!" The voice urged. It was the last thing Jeonghan heard before he blacked out.


	3. Coke and Beer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for bearing with the changes in the length of the chapters. I might make the number of chapters longer too but hmm we'll never know.
> 
> Thanks for reading as well!!

Jeonghan drifted into consciousness to the smell of burning bacon. There was a faint memory of breakfast cooked on a quiet Sunday morning. But it felt like a memory belonging to another lifetime. Hell, he couldn't remember the last time he and his parents sat down for a meal together.  
  
Why he thought of them now when the dull throbbing at the back of his head threatened to pick up the pace-- he can't say.   
  
He opened his eyes slowly, waiting for a hand to strike his cheek and yell at him to get out of the apartment. Nothing came. Instead, the events from yesterday slowly rushed back.  
  
Casket... Train... The smell of the ocean... A loud laugh... Hot skin burning into his bones...  
  
He wasn't in his apartment. But he wasn't anywhere he knew either. He turned his head carefully trying to block out the pulsing. He was lying on a couch long enough for him to wiggle up and down comfortably. A fan hummed from the ceiling in dizzying circles. Jeonghan closed his eyes again to stop the room from spinning. There was a breeze that tasted of salt from a window somewhere.  
  
A voice said, "Good morning sleepy head!" It sounded too close to Jeonghan for comfort and he jumped awake in an instant.  
  
Jeonghan came face-to-face with a dark haired boy flashing him a toothy grin. Jeoghan yelped and felt his hand grip air as he slipped from the edge of the couch.  
  
"Lunch is ready when you are." He turned and Jeonghan noticed a pink checkered apron on the strange boy. He looked back at Jeonghan still dazed on the ground and added, "Do you have any allergies?"  
  
He opened his mouth to answer but found himself speechless and very much confused, "Uhm..." He tried.  
  
"Ah!" That sounded a lot like Seokmin.  
  
"You're finally awake." The second voice didn't sound like anyone he knew.  
  
Seokmin was wearing an inflatable donut accompanied by a girl. The same voice continued, "Are you feeling better? Lunch is just about done."  
  
It took a moment for Jeonghan to realize the girl wasn't a girl at all. He stared at the boy for a minute before remembering he was lying with his ass on the couch and his messed up head on the ground. He scrambled out of the warm blanket and managed to grunt out a 'yeah thanks' and an 'I'm fine'.  
  
The stranger smiled and Jeonghan found himself smiling too. Jeonghan felt the remaining tension in his muscles slip away in what could only be described as a feeling of calm. The pretty boy turned to the boy in the pink apron and asked, "Mingyu, where's S.coups?"  
  
The boy called Mingyu shrugged his shoulders and Jeonghan noticed how tall he actually was. "I thought he headed back with you guys--"  
  
"Wait." Seokmin cut him off. "Do you smell something burning?"  
  
It took a minute for the room to react. And like a spring triggering action, Mingyu sprinted down the hall towards what Jeonghan guessed was the kitchen. By the time he and the others arrived, Mingyu was towering over a pale sweaty looking boy.  
  
There was an ominous looking smoke wafting from behind the boy and he laughed weakly trying to draw Mingyu's attention away from it. He looked more terrified of Mingyu's glower than the burning mess he held in his hands.  
  
Jeonghan guessed he must be S.coups.  
  
"Seungcheol..." Mingyu began.  
  
"Ahh, Mingyu I can explain!" Seungcheol chuckled weakly.  
  
"I don't hear any explanation." Mingyu crossed his arms.  
  
"Well, I wanted to cook breakfast--"  
  
"It's one in the afternoon." Mingyu pointed out.  
  
"For our guests--" He pushed on.  
  
"For Jeonghan, you mean."  
  
"Wha-- Mingyu!" Seungcheol glared in a way that looked a lot like 'shhhh-- shut up!'.  
  
Jeonghan was confused; how did he get dragged into this mess? As much as his facial recognition needed work, he couldn't remember ever meeting him before.  
  
Seungcheol trailed off as he caught sight of Jeonghan, Seokmin, and the pretty stranger standing by the door. "Shua!" He yelled, trying to get a better view of the other side from Mingyu's hulking figure.

Jeonghan noticed a black streak of what he guessed might be the bacon's ashy remains marking Seungcheol's face. Despite waking up to unfamiliar territory and fire hazards, Jeonghan couldn't help but find the boy's smile disarming-- albeit a bit desperate and panicked at the same time.

"Shua, do you want to help me out here?" He looked at them pleadingly and it took Jeonghan a while to realize the pretty boy's name was Shua.

Shua stepped in between Mingyu and Seungcheol calmly. "Right, you've had your fun, Mingyu. And Cheol has suffered enough. Why don't we head out back before your barbeque gets cold?"

His words were something a mother would tell her children but his expression said it was taking all his self-control not to pull out his phone and video every second of Seungcheol's misery. Shua tried to hide his smile and failed.

Seungcheol clung to him with a free arm and nuzzled him leaving a trail of black on the other's shirt. He didn't seem to mind the mess.

"Great Jisoo, you are my savior!" He praised. Jisoo and Mingyu burst out laughing. Jisoo? Cute, Jeonghan thought. Just as cute a name as Shua.

Seokmin was grinning and approached the group without a step of hesitation. Since when did he get so close with them?

"Coups-ah, did you decide to cook bacon to escape losing at volleyball?" Seokmin taunted.

Seungcheol tried to save face. He stood up from his crouch and held up the still smoking pan threateningly. "Are you accusing me of running away?"

Mingyu laughed, "That's another way to put it." Seungcheol pouted as the others burst out laughing but Jeonghan could see he wasn't so fazed by it.

Jeonghan felt like he were in a dream or in a life not his own. He stood awkwardly by the door wondering if he could slip away quietly like how he'd always do. Jisoo glanced Jeonghan's way and grinned encouragingly. For a split second, Jeonghan got this crazy idea that Jisoo might be able to read minds. 

The pretty boy signaled for Jeonghan to come closer. But something rooted Jeonghan to the spot and he cursed his body for not moving the way he wanted to. He wondered how he must look like to them-- awkward and pathetic in his two-day old shirt and bed hair.

Seungcheol put the pan down in the sink and said, "Well, that was a mistake. I'll leave the cooking to you." He patted Mingyu's shoulder and headed for the door.

Jisoo seemed to sense an opportunity to spur Jeonghan into action and blurted out, "Hey, Jeonghan! Let's go get some lunch."

Seungcheol slipped at the mention of Jeonghan's name. As soon as he looked up at him, his ears turned red. Jeonghan noticed but didn't want to embarrass the boy on their first meeting and ignored it.

Remembering his manners and thanking Jisoo silently, he said, "Hi! You're Seungcheol, right?" He stuck his hand out formally. "I'm Jeonghan. Nice to meet you."

What the fuck? Who the fuck shakes hands these days? Jeonghan cursed mentally.

He could see Seokmin and Mingyu stifling a laugh from behind Seungcheol. He'd get Seokmin and Mingyu back later. Jisoo nodded and Jeonghan decided to focus only on him. He nodded slightly and looked Seungcheol in the eye.

The boy looked ready to melt on the spot. Seungheol stammered, "Uh-- Hi, well... G'morning."

Jisoo took that as a chance to step in. All the awkward tension fell away in an instant and Jeonghan sighed in relief. In the back of his mind, he knew this boy was someone he could count on.

"Okay, kids. Let's take this to the backyard. And Cheol, clean yourself up before lunch, please."

Seokmin let out a cheer and he and Mingyu lead the way out.

* * *

The building they left had a small garden at the back. The ocean lay just a sprint away. They were at the edge of the beach with the crowd considerably smaller in number on the stretch. If Jeonghan looked to the far right, he'd spot the boardwalk he and the others ate lunch on the other day.

But as it turned out, his attention was elsewhere at the moment.

The picnic benches creaked under the mountains of meat stacked high on the plates. They were marinated, prepped, and ready to grill. Jisoo sat across Seokmin who bounced excitedly on the bench. They took the best spots next to the shinny grill.

Mingyu explained, "We can't all fit inside the house. Besides the weather is great and it's a a lot easier to clean up after. Plus, we have a reason to celebrate!"

Jeonghan stood still and swore his mouth was salivating on its own. It took sheer will-power to tear his eyes away from the feast laid out in front of him to choke out, "What for?"

Mingyu grinned as though he was expecting to be asked. He threw his arms out dramatically and said, "Welcome to Seventeen!"

There were no popping sounds of confetti and crackers but a metal gate slammed shut somewhere in the back and Jeonghan thought it was pretty close.

A little hooded figure jogged up to the table and set huge plastic bags down with a huff. He pulled his gray sweater over his head in one swift move and greeted Mingyu. Mingyu cried, "Jihoonie!"

Seokmin looked over and cheered, "Did you get the goods?"

Jihoonie sighed, "Why do you make it sound like I'm a coke dealer?" He pulled out about a dozen coke bottles from the bag. "Of course I got the goods." A collective cheer went up.

Mingyu seemed either to not remember or not care that he and Jeonghan were practically strangers. Mingyu looked over at Jeonghan bracing himself for another awkward interaction and slapped his back. Mingyu grinned and called out, "Hey, Jihoon. Come greet our new member good morning!"

Jihoon walked up to them and next to Mingyu the height difference seemed to emphasize dramatically. His small stature contrasted almost too well with the towering Mingyu. He nodded and introduced himself, "I'm Jihoon, I hope we'll get along."

"Likewise. I'm Jeonghan." Jeonghan tried for a smile, surprised to find that he wasn't as stiff or as anxious as his first introduction. He felt relaxed knowing his hair wasn't in tangles everywhere and finally covering his chain. And he managed to change into a light tee that didn't expose too much of his neck and shoulders.

Jihoon's eyes widened and averted his gaze to the ground. Jeonghan couldn't be sure but the words he muttered next sounded a lot like, "Let's eat." Before Jeonghan could reply, he was already sitting by Seokmin and draining the first bottle of coke.

Mingyu laughed, "He's just shy." Somehow, Jeonghan got the feeling he wasn't very good at reading situations.

"You're Mingyu, right? I guess I'll be in your pink frilly care then." Jeonghan said. If he was surprised talking to Jihoon, his conversation with Mingyu had felt like plot twist. He never made jokes like this; his words never bold enough before.

Right now, it just felt right to say what he thought out loud.

Mingyu blinked for a second and Jeonghan's fearless turned into worry that he offended the boy. But Mingyu's grin returned and he slapped Jeonghan in the back one more time. "Did I forget to introduce myself again! Don't you sweat it. This pink frilly ass will make sure you are fatter than when you got here.

"I'm Mingyu, that--" he gestures to Jisoo laughing at a joke Seokmin said. "Is Jisoo. He's kinda new here too. And that is Jihoon, who--" was currently chugging down another glass of coke, "will make sure we are never sugar deprived. He doesn't do weed, though. Hansol might know a guy if you need some. So that's everyone for now. The rest should be here any minute just make yourself at home, Jeonghan. Take it easy, you've had a pretty long journey." And with that, left to stop Jihoon from getting drunk on sugar before the barbeque began.

Jeonghan blinked, feeling the weight of Mingyu's words settle in.

_Make yourself at home._

Where home was, Jeonghan couldn't quite say. But all he knew was he felt more at ease around strangers he's met in less than three hours than with people he's lived with his whole life. It was a new feeling not entirely uncomfortable.

Out of nowhere, Soonyoung whispered into Jeonghan's ear conspiratorially, "Jihoon really is the coke runner though."

Jeonghan felt a chill run down the chains and to his spine but resisted the urge to punch Soonyoung in the gut. When he got a good look at his friend's cheeky grin, Jeonghan balled his hands into a fist and punched him anyway.

"Soonyoung, you little--" He laughed, somehow relieved to see the asshole in the flesh.

"Good to see you alive and awake, Hannie." Jun said, coming out from the same house.

"Jun!" Jeonghan said, still half-strangling, half-hugging Soonyoung. He suddenly remembered the confusion of waking up to a stranger in a pink apron and demanded an explanation, "You have some explaining to do."

"Mingyu-shi! I am starving!" A boy stretched like a cat basking in the warm sun. He looked much younger than he sounded.

"And I am ready to par-ty! Are you with me?" A red-haired boy screamed into the sky. He was dragging his sleepy looking companion by the arm who yawned and let out a half-hearted cheer.

"You're Jeonghan!" One boy came up to him and said it like a declaration rather than a question. He and Jun put their hands on Jeonghan's shoulder and before he got to register what he had said, they steered him to the seat beside Jisoo. The pretty boy smiled in greeting making Jeonghan's cheeks flush.

"Right..." Jeonghan said, trying to get word in the conversation.

"Ah I'm Minghao. You can call me--" 

Jun slung his arm over Minghao's shoulders, "He's been trying to get everyone to call him The8. But if you call him Mingie, he'd love it."

"What the fuck?" Minghao asks as he and Jun walk off to help Mingyu start the fire.

Jisoo leans in over and whispers into Jeonghan's ear, "He and Mingyu have a sort of friendly rivalry going on."

His breath was warm and soft and Jeonghan felt his ear grow hot as Jisoo pulled away. The pretty boy grinned at Jeonghan before waving at the people coming in. Jeonghan was overwhelmed-- at a loss for words in the frenzy.

Seungcheol slid in next to Jihoon and smiled as he caught Jeonghan staring. "Sorry about that." He must've been referring to earlier.

Jeonghan laughed, it was a strange and loud laugh. Barely surfaced over the growing noise in the garden but it sat new and alien on the edge of his lips.

He shook his head feeling much lighter compared to this morning. "It's a good thing you didn't burn the house down. Maybe we should let Mingyu do the grilling."

Seungcheol let out a sigh of relief and the tension in his muscles relaxed. Jihoon watched this exchange and shot Seungcheol a puzzled look. He yelped in pain and reached under the table to massage his foot. Seungcheol only smiled peaceably in response to Jeonghan and Jisoo's concerned looks.

* * *

The barbeque began the moment Seokmin slammed two heaping plates of grilled meat on the table.

It turns out Jeonghan was going to live in the white-walled two story house with three of his only friends and nine strangers. The house is fondly called Seventeen by its members and members of the community and is owned by one of the boy's mother.

Soonyoung mentioned how he and the boys really had nowhere to go since they had only just arrived. That's when Jisoo suggested they bunk in with them until they get settled.

It was only upon entering Seventeen-- dripping sweat and salt water and dragging a barely breathing Jeonghan through the front doors that Jun realize he had already found the place his old friend, Minghao had suggested them.

This was the moment Jeonghan realized how subtle he actually wasn't. His three best friends had already guessed he'd be running away with no plans thereafter and set up everything in advance. He couldn't decide whether to laugh or groan at his lack of planning.

After dumping Jeonghan on the couch, the twelve boys hit it off without a hitch. It didn't take long for Seokmin and Soonyoung who were naturally friendly and noisy to blend with the others. Jun had already met some of Minghao's friends on his previous visits that it seemed almost too perfect to Jeonghan.

For someone chained tightly to his destiny, things like coincidences or fate weren't very easliy believable for Jeonghan. But he pushed his thoughts aside and allowed the food to waft into his nostrils and fill his vision.

The smell of meat brought the remaining members in like moths to a flame. And when all thirteen glasses were filled to the brim, Jeonghan met the rest of Seventeen.

Seokmin, Seungheol, Jihoon, Jisoo, Jun, Mingyu, Minghao. Then the firey red head Seungkwan spooning mashed potato into Hansol's mouth. Wonwoo steered clear of the seafood and argued with Soonyoung over the last piece of pork. Lee Chan, their youngest, waved from across the table, "You can call me Dino."

Soonyoung explained how Jeonghan collapsed and how one thing lead to another-- "And Jihoon suggested we bring you to Seventeen." 

"Jun said you just had a bit of a dizzy spell from the heat and your scarf." Jisoo reassured him.

Jeonghan turned to Jun. _Did they see anything?_ His eyes asked.

The boy, in the faintest of nods looked at him in a way that said, _Don't worry so much, we got it under control._

Jeonghan let out a breath. No one needed to know.

Seungcheol said, "And the tattoo is pretty cool. When did you get it?"

Jeonghan nearly choked on his drink. Jun! He wanted to strangle him. "Uh... A really long time ago." He said vaguely.

Vernon nodded sagely, "Is it a metaphor for the bonds you make with the people who you love and people who made an impact on your life?"

The tabel went silent. "Well.. yeah, let's go with that."

Seungkwan poked Vernon on his side, "I think you've had too much coke to drink."

In an effort to save the flow of the party, Jisoo said, "Seungcheol's hands were in a fist and I thought Soonyoung was going to jump on him."

"Thank god you didn't! That would've been a pain to explain to the manager." Dino groaned. 

"Cheol gripped his ice cream so hard. He tends to squeeze whatever is in his hands when he panics." Jihoon laughed. Seungcheol looked bashful.

Seokmin spoke up, "He was rushing to get you ice from the bar but Jihoon had to hold him back because he would've knocked the tables over getting there."

"And Soonyoung wanted to climb over the table to get to you but Seokmin held him back from strangling you with the scarf." Jun said.

"Shit that must've been crazy." Minghao, who wasn't there, commented.

"Tell me about it." Jeonghan puffed his cheeks out. "I was there but I don't even remember it."

"So while you were lying under the beach umbrella, we decided to play beach volleyball." Seokmin concluded his story.

"Great!" Jeonghan said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Who won?"

"We did." Seungcheol puffed proudly.

"We're one all now." Soonyoung countered.

"Bring it on!" Wonwoo stood up. For a moment, Jeonghan was shocked at how loud the seemingly quiet boy was. The table laughed as Wonwoo sat back down shyly.

Mingyu nudged Seungcheol, "Someone's face was bright red the entire time he carried Jeonghan."

As if on cue, Seungcheol's face lit crimson. "Ye--yeah because it was hot and he was heavy!"

"Um, excuse you?" Jeonghan put a scandalized hand to his heart jokingly.

"Or was it because Jeoghan was hot?" Someone commented through a stuffed mouth.

Seungcheol looked ready to bolt out of his seat. "What! I mean like--"

"He means he's never carried a pretty boy on his back before." Mingyu smirked.

"Mingyu, you--" Seungcheol flicked a spoon of mashed potato in his direction.

Jeonghan laughed along with the others trying not to over-think Mingyu's words. 

I'm sure he's just joking around. He thought.

The conversation drifted off into smaller groups and Jeonghan was left listening to Seokmin and Seungcheol teasing an embarrassed Jihoon about his aegyo.

He felt Jisoo press in closer to his side and Jeonghan tried his best not to stiffen up. "It's okay nothing happened while you were out. I waited by the umbrella with you. And they," He gestured to the loud boys across, "didn't move from your side until your breathing evened. You have some great friends."

"Some friends they are leaving me alone while I was unconscious."

Jisoo laughed, "At least they didn't write on your face while you slept in the living room."

Jeonghan's eyes widened in alarm. Jisoo panicked, "Ah! Don't worry, that doesn't happen often around here. It was one time on my first night."

Despite himself, Jeonghan laughed, "That doesn't make me feel better."

Jisoo watched Jeonghan for a while when a thought struck him, "I never really got to introduce myself, have I? I'm Jisoo, I came here about a month ago--"

"Whoa, just a month?"

He chuckled, "Yeah, it doesn't feel like a month though. I lived abroad for most of my life and I moved here to take care of my grandpa but he's living with my uncle and didn't have any spare room. I had no siblings before but now I have way too many to count. I love playing the guitar and I'm afraid of spiders. So that's me. I hope we can get along."

Jeonghan laughed, "What's with that self-introduction?" Jisoo started to laugh as well. "Your turn."

He didn't know what it was-- the bubbly coke, the haze of the barbeque, the cheers from the drinking contest beside them. But whatever it was that loosened his muscles seemed to do the same for his tongue. In a situation Jeonghan never thought he'd be in, he was saying all the things he'd normally think twice about without any hesitation.

He thought for a moment, "Hmm, I'm Jeonghan. I arrived from the city and the moment I stepped off the train, I collapsed from some unknown force of the universe. I woke up surrounded by some interesting people and a weird guy who burns bacon for fun. My hobbies include babying Seokmin and annoying Soonyoung. I can't say I'll be of any help around the house but I'll leave that to Mingyu. Hello, Jisoo." 

Jisoo laughed, "What's with that even weirder self-introduction?"

Jeonghan poured out another round of coke onto Jisoo's glass and raised his cup, "Nice to meet you?"

"Nice to meet you!" And clicked their plastic cups.

* * *

The sun set and the party went on well past nine o'clock. But by midnight, Seungcheol was herding everyone to bed and ignoring groans and complaints.

"Good night, kids!" He said over their tired objections. "Hansol, don't forget to brush your teeth. Seungkwan, make sure he doesn't fall asleep on the stairs."

"Got it." Came the reply.

"Jisoo, can you make sure Wonwoo isn't reading under his sheets again?"

"Roger that."

By the time the garden was empty save for Seventeen's party remains, Seungcheol was left sorting out trash into garbage bags.

Jeonghan was just about to enter the house when he noticed Seungcheol struggling to lug the grill to a corner.

Sleep could wait. After all, he's been asleep for nearly twenty-four hours.

Unrolling a garbage bag of his own, he took up position beside Seungcheol and began dumping cups and plates inside. The older boy tried protesting, "You don't have to!"

"Can it, Cheol. It's fine." Jeonghan said. It was the first time he had used his nickname without anyone else butting in the conversation. The feeling was foreign on his tongue but Jeonghan found that it rolled off easily-- like a familiar name he's used a bilion times.

The boys definitely got to know each other after several coke-pong rounds and eating contests. Jeonghan found that he rather liked Cheol's company and enjoyed teasing him as he often and easily took the bait.

"It was my party, after all."

"I think those kids just wanted a reason to celebrate." He said, dumping a party hat in the bag.

The quiet was nice and there were summer bugs singing a lazy soundtrack somewhere back. They worked well, helping each other sort out the trash and not needing many words to know what the other wanted to do next.

It was comforting to work and Jeonghan later found he wasn't as tired as he thought he'd be. They both sat on the stone steps where the garden grass met the sandy beach.

Seungcheol pushed something cold onto Jeonghan's cheek. Jeonghan made out the label of beer in the dim light. "What? The responsible Choi Seungcheol drinking alcohol with a stranger in the middle of the night?" He gasped in disbelief.

Cheol laughed, "Fuck off, Yoon. You're no stranger to me."

Jeonghan was thankful for the dark that his companion couldn't see his flushed cheeks. Instead he opened the can and took a sip. Cheol held his out and they cheered. The liquid was cool and bubbly-- a bit bitter but made the stars shine just a bit brighter. The tide kept rolling in.

Deciding to break the silence, Jeonghan asked something that had been on his mind for some time, "So how did you know about my tattoo? I was sure I had a blanket on me when I woke up. And I was wearing a shirt that pretty much covered my shoulders. Then that means..." Jeonghan trailed off.

At those words, Seungcheol splurted out a mist of alcohol. "It's not what you think!"

"I wasn't thinking anything at all." Jeonghan said calmly. He watched Seungcheol bury his head into his knees. He was having too much fun teasing him.

"I meant well when I woke up in the middle of the night for a snack I happened to notice the blanket on the floor. I just put it on you and caught a glimpse of the tattoo." He said this in one breath, talking quicker than he's ever heard Seokmin go.

"Hmm.. alright then." Jeonghan wasn't too concerned about his curse. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was the fact that it didn't matter so much to him now.

He just wanted to see Seungcheol properly in the dark and hear him speak and watch his eyes light up animatedly as they talked and feel the heat radiating from his body against the windy night.

Jeonghan replayed the day over and over in his mind. Hearing the music turned up so loud that even the boy's lauhter downed its sound. The smell of the sea and meat tangled in the wind. Talking to them and wondering if it was safe to start calling them friends.

To hell if the chain pierced his heart now. Nothing could've taken this away from him. Nothing at all.

Both boys lapsed into a comfortable silence.

"I had fun." Jeonghan said after some time.

Perhaps if Jeonghan had looked a bit closely at his face, he might've noticed a similar flush in Cheol's cheeks. "Yeah, me too." Cheol said softly, willing his eyes to meet Jeonghan's but lacking the courage to pull through. Instead, he settled for looking up.

He didn't see, however, that Jeonghan had the same conflicted thoughts on his mind. He opened his mouth to speak. But he too ended up watching the stars instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for commenting! It's like a fuel to the burning Jeongcheol fire in my soul! I crave it!!


	4. Eggs and Bacon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meant this to be a side chapter but it may become part of the story. I guess that since it's posted anyway, it's already part of the story.

In the near-perfect turn out of things since he burnt Jeonghan's bacon, Seungcheol was starting to think he was cursed.  
  
How could someone so beautiful just suddenly _drop_ (he meant this with absolutely no pun intended) into his life like that?

On the day he met him (use 'met' very loosely here), he spotted his brilliant red hair a mile away. It was like a beacon, shinning with a diamond's edge against the cool blues and pure whites of the boardwalk scene. The way he threw his head back laughing without a care in the world. The curve of his lips. The softness of his eyes. God. Those. Eyes.  
  
Seungcheol would later brag that he spotted him from across the beach. He bought all of his friends ice cream from the local vendor. He left his cap at Minghao's store and hung his shades on his shirt-- he needed to see him in full color. He had to meet him.  
  
Jihoon would later say that he was crazy.  
  
Approaching the café, perfect! It was Dino's shift. He'd play good hyung and maybe buy him a drink. Even Mingyu distracting and annoying him like usual didn't manage to wipe the smile off his face.  
  
He was going to be so damn lucky. He just knew it!  
  
Just his luck then, when the beautiful boy collapsed as soon as he entered the shop.  
  
His vision blurred, whether it was from the sweat or from the dizzy panic, he had no clue. He crushed the cone in his hand and managed to trip over a chair causing Dino to drop the tray with drinks and fries piled on it. The room was in chaos with the fainted boy's companions in an equal state of panic.  
  
It took Jisoo and Dino to calm them down and get Jeonghan breathing normally again.  
  
Jeonghan.  
  
In the frenzy, he had heard his name. And he swore, he had never heard a name speak such melodies before.  
  
If Jeonghan asked what gave Seungcheol the strength to carry him home, he'd say that it was his name.  
  
Not that he'd actually ever say that out loud.

* * *

When he woke up for a midnight snack, it was because the house was getting too stuffy and the feeling of Jeonghan pressing against his back was missing from him.  
  
Seungcheol decided to eat away his confusion but found his feet carrying him to the living room where they temporarily housed Jeonghan.  
  
It was true when he said that the blanket did fall off. But he didn't know if he should have mentioned how Jeonghan clawed at his shirt and chest and made pained sounds that sounded to Seungcheol like a heart being broken.  
  
It almost broke his own heart hearing it.  
  
He felt for Jeonghan's skin and found it was burning up dangerously. Seungcheol threw open the window and wrapped him tightly in his blanket.  
  
In all honesty, he had no idea what he was doing. It was something he's seen all mothers and Jisoo do when someone was sick. Something about sweating the fever out.  
  
He grabbed the boy's hand in an attempt to calm his trashing down. His voice was muffled as if he didn't want anyone hearing his pain and had tried his hardest to shut his mouth up completely.  
  
In his quiet panic, Seungcheol noticed the area Jeonghan was clutching. There was a dark mark along his shoulder. Something thin and intricately engraved on his skin.  
  
He was about to call it quits and yell for Jisoo to help. It didn't matter if the whole house woke up-- Jeonghan needed help.  
  
Then a thought struck him. It was a long shot and he never really thought it would work but he began talking to Jeonghan anyway.  
  
"Hiya, Jeonghan." He began in soothing notes.  
  
"My name's Seungcheol. My friends call me S.coups but you can call me anytime."  
  
He groaned internally. What was he saying?He was just grateful Jeonghan was asleep. He begged to whatever god that he wouldn't remember what he said.  
  
"So um I don't know what you're dreaming about but it doesn't sound very pleasant." He bit his lip, tightening his hold on the boy.  
  
"It sounds painful whatever you're carrying in there. I hope that when you wake up, you don't carry it with you out here.  
  
"You've got some good friends here. Seokmin, Jun, Soonyoung. And you'll make some more good ones too. So wake up soon we've got a lot planned for you-- a lot here waiting for you." He chuckled. He couldn't believe it. It was working.  
  
So he kept going, "Well, tell you what. If you won't remember this nightmare you're having now tomorrow, I'll make you some bacon and eggs for breakfast. How does that sound?"  
  
Getting no response from a sleeping person was obvious. But Seungcheol couldn't help but wish he could see the boy's eyes up close and watch his mouth open in a laugh or a smile.  
  
"I'll make sure those nightmares stop haunting you. Don't you worry. Nothing's gonna harm you. Not while I'm around."  
  
He was slurring now. Not really knowing where he was getting these words from. This was a lot to promise someone he's just met. Yet the words were natural and raw. It was a feeling Seungcheol felt he needed to say.  
  
Jeonghan's breathing evened out and eventually he stopped trashing. Then Seungcheol climbed up to his room and began googling how to cook bacon and eggs.


	5. Healing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Take a wild guess who!

_This is going to kill me. This kind of pleasure. This kind of person._  
  
_I don't know him yet I feel like I've done this with him countless of times._  
  
_His soft, soft lips on mine. Then trailing down my jaw, leaving a ghost of a kiss wherever it touches. The heat from his breath is intoxicating._

 _His body is holding me as if preventing me from breaking apart at his touch. He presses me against the cold concrete. There is a snake burning hot on my back against the cold._  
  
_"So pretty." He murmurs against my neck. He sucks on the link just beneath my ear. I gasp at the contact._  
  
_How could this curse-- this burden-- ever become something beautiful?_  
  
_For years and years I've felt it hanging onto my shadow, like a weight dragging me below ground. I've lived with this chain, hating the name tied to it. Hating the body it inhabited._  
  
_But one word from this stranger becomes a refuge for these aches. Every blow I've endured, every wound that healed-- it never mattered. He took them in and mended it all-- made me whole._  
  
_I begin to cry._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tried experimenting on the POVs
> 
> Was originally part of the previous chapter but it didn't have the same feeling.
> 
> Comments are always always greatly appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> Wahh This is probably confusing as fuck and totally weird but meh we'll see where it goes. 
> 
> Hmu on twitter hehe
> 
> @weaksh17
> 
> (This work was formerly titled "Chains")


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